Banana Bread Donuts (Filled w Nutella)

Banana bread turned into fried, sugar coated doughnuts: these eggless banana bread donuts are soft, fluffy and filled with Nutella and they’re just so so good!

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The dough is made with overripe bananas, which not only add sweetness but also keep the donuts really soft.

Once fried, the donuts get coated with sugar and they’re filled with Nutella. The combination of the soft banana dough and the rich, nutty, chocolatey filling is just as good as it sounds. If you like banana bread, you’re going to love these!

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How to make these soft and fluffy donuts?

Take overripe bananas and blend them until smooth. You can mash them with a fork too for additional texture. Transfer the banana puree to a bowl and add warm milk, sugar, vanilla, melted butter and yeast. Give this a good mix.

Pour the wet banana yeast mixture into the dry ingredients: all purpose flour and spices. Use a chopstick or a fork to mix everything together until a rough dough forms. Transfer the rough dough onto a clean kneading surface and knead for 10-15 minutes till the dough is completely soft, supple and elastic.

The dough might feel sticky and not very manageable at first but as you knead it well, it will come together into a smooth and elastic dough. Keep kneading—it takes time, but it’s worth it! You can add more all purpose flour (1-2 tbsp) if you find this difficult.

Grease a bowl with butter. Place the dough in the greased bowl, cover it and let it rise in a warm, humid place (refer to notes for how to create a warm environment) for 90-120 minutes or till doubled in size. Punch down the dough and transfer it to a greased surface. I prefer working on a greased surface over a floured surface to keep the dough soft and prevent it from getting tough by introducing it to more flour.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball with the help of oiled hands. Each ball of dough will be around 60g.

Cut parchment paper into squares and place the dough balls on them, flattening slightly with greased fingers. Cover the shaped donuts lightly with a cling wrap or cloth and let them proof again in a warm place till puffy and bigger in size.

Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Test the oil to see if its the right temperature (refer notes) before adding in your shaped donuts and frying for 90 seconds per side, removing the parchment paper midway. Transfer the fried donuts on paper towel to drain the oil and coat with granulated sugar on both sides when the donuts are still hot.

Let the donuts cool for 10-15 minutes. Use a chopstick, spoon handle or knife to poke a hole in each donut, moving it around a bit to create some space inside. Fill a piping bag with nutella (or a filling of your choice) and stuff the donuts with it. Your donuts are ready to be served up fresh!

Notes

How to create a warm environment for proofing the donuts: To help the dough rise well, place a bowl of hot water on the bottom rack of your oven and set the tray with the dough on the top rack. Close the oven door to trap the warmth and humidity.
I didn’t add any spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to this batch, but I did try them in another batch and it was amazing! Definitely something I’d recommend if you want to bring in those classic banana bread flavours. A little cinnamon adds warmth and nutmeg gives that subtle depth that makes banana bread so so good.
Coat the donuts with granulated sugar while they're still hot. The heat and oil helps the sugar stick properly, giving the donuts a light crunch on the outside. I prefer using granulated sugar over powdered sugar since the latter melts instead of forming a textured coating.
Fry the donuts in the oil at medium heat. If it’s too hot: the donuts will brown too quickly on the outside while staying raw inside. If it’s too low: they’ll soak up oil and turn greasy.
If you don't have a thermometer (just like I don;t), these are 2 ways you can check if you're oil is at the right temperature:
1. If you insert a wooden chopstick tip in the oil and the oil gently bubbles around it - the oil is hot. If there are no bubbles: it’s too cold. If it bubbles aggressively: it’s too hot.
2. Drop a small piece of dough into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top within a few seconds, the oil is at the right temperature. If it browns too fast, lower the heat slightly and let it cool a bit before trying the test again.
I prefer working with oil over flour for the steps after the first proof. This prevents sticking without adding extra flour, which can make the doughnuts tough. Lightly oiling your hands also helps with shaping while keeping the dough soft and supple.
Adding a pinch of turmeric to the dough enhances its colour, turning it from a pale yellow to a vibrant sunshine yellow! The donuts look prettier without any significant change in taste.
If you don't have granulated sugar, you can use breakfast sugar which works just as well.